


Stargazing

by AllTheseMaps



Category: Supernatural
Genre: Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Like miniscule angst, M/M, Only a tiny bit of angst
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-02-15
Updated: 2016-02-15
Packaged: 2018-05-20 21:59:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,122
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6026752
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AllTheseMaps/pseuds/AllTheseMaps
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>The Impala had sputtered to a stop around two hours ago and, from where Dean could see him through the windscreen, Cas looked bored.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Stargazing

**Author's Note:**

> Trying to find a season to set these fics in is a nightmare so place it wherever you think it fits really. I like to think of this as an AU where Dean actually gives a shit about Cas' feelings for once. But you know, that's not an official AU, so here we are! Hope you enjoy!

The Impala had sputtered to a stop around two hours ago and, from where Dean could see him through the windscreen, Cas looked bored. Or maybe he was just zoning out? He couldn’t really tell through the grubby glass. He took one last despairing look at the dusty maze of an engine lying uselessly under the hood before slamming it closed and sending a cloud of suffocating dirt into the air. The summer sun had baked dry all the back roads they’d been using and the dust was everywhere: coating the car and removing its sheen, clogging the lines of his palms, and painting his clothes a dull brown. That was probably what had caused the engine to give out in the first place, turning their supply spree into a roadside camping trip. They hadn’t even managed to get half the weird collection of bones they’d meant to.

Dean checked his cell for what must have been the fiftieth time but the lack of bars just taunted him so he stowed it back in his jeans pocket. The sun was still high in the sky and, as they were supposed to have been back by nightfall. Sam wasn’t going to be looking for them any time soon and the walk to the last gas station would take a couple of hours at least. There was no way in hell that was happening with this weather unless Cas flew there and kidnapped a mechanic, which seemed a tad extreme. Therefore, Dean resolved to just spend the foreseeable future in the car and re-joined Cas in the front.

“Engine’s stowed for good so we’re stuck here ‘til Sam comes looking,” he sighed “Unless you fancy a three hour walk to the gas station?”

Cas didn’t look particularly bothered and gave a small shrug in response, continuing to eat the marshmallows they’d grabbed for the trip. He'd been doing that for hours. Ignoring him in favour of the damn marshmallows. He wasn’t embarrassed to admit that that stung a little.

“Then ease up on the sugar yeah?” he grumbled, taking the bag and stowing it in the glove compartment “I’m going to sleep it out.”

He clambered into the back seat, leaving Cas to continue staring into space as he gave only a quiet hum in response. He’d been quieter than usual lately and so there was little point in staying awake whilst his travel partner possessed the conversational skills of a brick.

The hot leather of the seats stuck to his bare arms and face and threatened to leave burns, the open windows doing little to cool it, instead only serving to let humid air into the car, as well as the occasional bug. Luckily, around thirty years of sleeping in crappy motels and on roadsides hadn’t been for nothing and he managed to doze off almost immediately.

-

The slam of a car door shook him from sleep, and he was more than a little surprised to find he could barely see, with only the warm glow of what he presumed was headlights spilling through the windscreen.

“Hey Cas, pass a torch would you?” he yawned “I think Sammy’s here and he’ll want a look at the engine.”

There was no answering movement, let alone an **actual** answer, so he peeled himself from the seats and into a sitting position, sleepily rubbing at his eyes.

“Come on man, co-operate would-“

The front seats were empty, the glove compartment hanging open, and the light was definitely not headlights.

“Crap,” Dean muttered, scrambling from the car and into the road “Cas?”

The hushed utterance of his name was almost overpowered by the chorus of crickets that’d started around them, but drew his attention nonetheless, and he gave a small sigh of relief. Cas was perched on the hood of the car, silently staring into the heavens, eyes wide, as the light from the camping lantern he had perched beside him played off his features, and the marshmallows lay abandoned. Dean strode over to him, unsure of what to do as Cas took barely any notice when he sat next to him on the hood. The heat of the day had almost completely disappeared, leaving a cold breeze in its wake. The glaring sun had been replaced by a canvas of stars stretched above them, the moon dimmed behind a few stray clouds and Cas seemed to be drinking it all in, fixated on every single star, taking in one after the other, a wistful smile playing at his mouth.

“You know,” Dean mumbled after a few minutes of silence “You can see them better if-“

He twisted round and switched off the lamp, plunging them into near complete darkness. Cas’ breathe hitched noticeably and when Dean turned back to him he was grasping at the edge of the hood and straining ever so slightly towards the sky, bathing in the faint silvery light spilling from the myriad of stars shining more brightly above them. Dean managed a weak smile at the sight but, not wanting to break him from his apparent trance, lay back across the hood, arms behind his head, and stargazed alongside his friend. What seemed like hours passed in comfortable silence as they watched the stars crawl across the sky before Cas unexpectedly spoke up.

“They always look so much colder from down here.”

Dean sat up slightly, trying to comprehend his words for a few seconds before it hit him like a punch to the gut. He didn’t let it show.

“Yeah?”

The warmth in Cas’ smile faltered as he tore his eyes from the sky, redirecting his eyes to meet Deans.

“They’re much more beautiful though.”

Dean sat up properly at that, knowing his own expression would probably falter at any second.

“But not the same huh?”

Cas shook his head gently, holding Deans gaze.

“No. I don’t have to worry about burning my wings from here.”

Dean snorted at the attempt at humour, causing Cas’ face to brighten fleetingly before he dragged his gaze back to the sky and the solemn air returned. The silence didn’t last quite as long this time though, a question Dean had wanted to ask for a while finally finding the right time to be asked.

“Do you ever miss Heaven?”

Cas huffed a laugh, not looking to him this time.

“Of course.”

“Oh.”

Cas’ expression hardened and he forcefully looked down from the sky, instead beginning to look out across the tall corn fields surrounding them.

“But it’s better off without me, as are the angels.”

“No-“

“My name is disgraced Dean. My garrison and friends are gone, the angels are existing without a cause, and those who aren’t dead want me destroyed. I know I am the cause of it. There is no need to try and spare my feelings.”

Deans meagre words of comfort died in his throat as he realised how futile they were. Hell, if someone continued trying to say it wasn’t his fault after he’d said something like that they’d have a broken nose at the very least. The best course of action, he realised, was probably to divert the conversation.

“What do you miss most?” he asked, expecting to be immediately shrugged off at the stupid question.

“Visiting the souls,” he answered immediately and Dean could hear the smile in his voice even if he couldn’t see it “There was always so much to see, so many small details in each resting place that brought so much joy, no matter how seemingly insignificant.”

He shuffled infinitesimally closer to Dean as a cold breeze swept along the road before he continued.

“Take your friend Ash-“

“You’ve visited Ash?” Dean asked in confusion “You never met.”

“Of course I visited. I met with most of your friends and family after their deaths to make sure they were content,” he stated with a smile “And Ash’s heaven was always stocked with his favourite beer. It brought him such joy despite its insignificance.”

“Hey,” Dean interrupted, seeing an opportunity and placing a hand heavily on Cas’ shoulder “Someone’s favourite beer is about as insignificant as you are.”

Hurt momentarily flashed across Cas’ face before Dean placed his other hand on his free shoulder and shook him slightly.

“As in, not at all.”

It took Cas a few seconds longer than it should have done to finally grin back at him, but he immediately pulled Dean into a tight hug when he did, wrapping his arms around his neck and pulling him across the hood until there was no space between them. Dean wasn’t expecting it in the slightest and his arms were crushed uncomfortably between them as a result, but he didn’t mind.

“That was awful,” Cas sighed, breath warm against the cold as he buried his face in Dean’s shoulder.

“You bet your ass it was,” Dean stated proudly “But I’ll stoop to being painfully cheesy if I have to.”

“Then I will make sure you don’t have to.”

“Thank god,” Dean grinned, causing Cas to give a muffled laugh into the fabric of his shirt and tighten his grip.

Dean rested his chin as best he could on Cas’ shoulder, ignoring the wince he gave as he further crushed his arms, but remained as he was. They were rarely so at ease, preoccupied with whatever new creature was killing people that week or with their own problems, so they both welcomed this brief respite under the stars, unwilling to move, even after Dean became aware they both knew they were bordering alarmingly close on actually cuddling. He found he didn't mind as much as he'd expect, instead shifting to better accommodate the fact that Cas was dangerously close to sitting on him completely.

Cas was the first to move.

“Thank you Dean,” he muttered, relinquishing his grip, and he suddenly became painfully aware of how cold it was.

Cas also seemed to notice this as he wrapped his arms around his torso. Dean immediately tried to rub some feeling back into his numb forearms as discreetly as possible, but it was difficult as they were still sitting so close.

“Yeah, well, they’re all dicks and it’s their loss.”

Cas grinned widely, glancing up at the sky once more before standing up with a yawn, stretching widely. Dean followed suite- the sun would be up in a few hours and, as they were still technically working a case, this could be the last time they got the chance to sleep in a long while. He remained outside for a few more minutes however, ignoring the cold as he desperately tried to coax his nerves into cooperating again, while Cas climbed into the car. By the time he finally joined him he’d already claimed the back seat and was breathing softly, already asleep. He still wasn't too sure whether Cas actually needed sleep, but he'd certainly seemed partial to it in recent weeks.

“Lucky bastard,” Dean mumbled, resisting the urge to reach back and ruffle his hair, but instead forcefully taking up his place sprawled across the front seats.

He couldn't fall asleep this time.

It was freezing, the weather seeming to have turned on a dime as if to spite him for not bringing a coat, and he could swear his breath was creating clouds. He knew he should have grabbed his jacket. He’d have to remember to buy blankets or something as a back up. Or start keeping a jacket in the trunk-

“Dean, if you’re truly that cold, you could just join me,” Cas suddenly stated, interrupting his musings.

“Did I say all that out loud?”

“Yes.”

Dean groaned, trying and failing to distract himself from the fact he’d already internally accepted Cas’ offer.

“You sure I can join you?” he asked, assuring himself that no, he was not happy to accept.

It was just convenient.

For warmth.

Cas hummed in response and he heard him shuffle further back into the seat. They both knew Dean would take him up on the offer, and of course realised they'd have to talk about it tomorrow. He immediately clambered over the back seat, taking his place on the minute bit of seat left free and Cas immediately buried his face in Dean’s shoulder again. His arms weren’t trapped this time, leaving him to reciprocate the hug from earlier as he wrapped an arm around Cas’ shoulder. There was no room to spare in the slightest, but Dean totally forgot the cold and ignored the ache in his back the lack of space caused, and finally relaxed in their shared warmth as they drifted off.

They were only woken hours later when Sam forgot to turn the flash off on his camera.

**Author's Note:**

> But seriously, come on Dean. Actually ask him how he's feeling more than once every 3 seasons.  
> Please feel free to leave a comment or kudos, I'm new to writing Supernatural stuff so the encouragement would be greatly appreciated! Thanks for reading!


End file.
